Application of a Simplex–Centroid Mixture Design to Evaluate the Phenolic Compound Content and Antioxidant Potential of Plants Grown in Mexico

Abstract

Nowadays, the food and health industries are generating new products with antioxidant potential; among them are those rich in phenolic compounds that have a beneficial impact on human health. Therefore, the aim of this research was to obtain different types of mixtures from Portulaca oleraceae (P), Chenopodium album (C), Opuntia oligacantha Förster var. Ulapa (O), and Amaranthus tricolor (A) and evaluate the content of total phenols, total flavonoids, and antioxidant potential in order to select the mixture with the highest content of phenolic compounds. An experimental simplex–centroid mixture design with 15 experimental treatments was used; the data were analyzed and adjusted to a quadratic model that allowed for the prediction of the content of phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenz-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) of different experimental mixtures. The results show that the individual components of C and P had the highest content of phenols and antioxidant potential. It was observed that the binary mixtures P-C and P-A presented values of total phenols greater than 11 mg of gallic acid equivalents g−1 DW and values of flavonoids greater than 13 mg of quercetin equivalents g−1 DW. These values were higher than those found in the individual components. The P-C mixture with an antioxidant potential of 66.0 ± 0.07 Trolox equivalents g−1 DW could be used as an additive in food or to obtain a functional food that improves the intake of antioxidant compounds in the population.